Toy airplane projector



Aug. 21, 1951 R D, HQCKETT 2,565,176

TOY A IRPLANE PROJECTOR Filed Jan. 13, 1947 1111 utor Ralph D. Hacker! Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'rov AIRPLANE PROJECTOR Ralph D. Hockett, Bristow, Okla. Application January 13, 1947, Serial No. 721,825

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to toys, and

A more particularly to a toy comprising the combination of a bow and an arrow and an airplane loosely securable to the forward end of said arrow and adapted to be shot into the air by the arrow, said invention being thought of as including improved launching apparatus on the airplane itself adaptable for use with other types of launching mechanisms.

An object of this invention is to provide a toy airplane with improved means whereby the plane may be conveniently supported in aligned position prior to its flight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bow and arrow combination which will satisfactorily launch a toy airplane, and in which the arrow is retained permanently on said bow.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy in which the parts thereof are of simple construction and the method of operation thereof is easily understandable.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a toy of this character which will be inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which enables a toy airplane to be accurately aimed or directed, which is useful in providing for educational play and recreation, and which will give efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing how an airplane constructed according to this invention is launched by the present improved launching apparatus;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the improved airplane with its complement of launching apparatus;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the bow and arrow used in this invention;

Figure 4 is a view of the same, in a reduced scale, showing an airplane operatively secured thereon, the view being taken from a line 4-4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, in which is depicted a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that a bow l0, preferably having a wound hand grip portion l2 and a string I4 permanently secured to the bow as at l6 andyl8, is here represented as a preferred form of catapulting mechanism. When a bow such as shown is used, it is provided with a plunger or arrow 20, apertured at the end 22 to receive the string 14 and equipped at the other end 24 with a bifurcated member 26 having angularly disposed upset portions 28 with integral forwardly extending portions 30, the latter being disposed parallel to the shank portion 20 of the arrow 4. In the preferred embodiment of this invention the portions 28 and 30 are formed from cylindrical stock integrated, as by welding, into a single non-circular shank portion for securement in the end 24 of the arrow 20, this structure being inexpensive and adapted to prevent rotation of the bifurcated member relative to the arrow.

The general structure of the airplane will be a matter of individual preferment and mechanical expediency, but will normally include a fuselage 32, wings 34 and simplified tail structure 36. On the underside of each wing 34, and preferably spaced a short distance on each side of the fuselage 32, a pair of tubular members 38 are rigidly secured, the interior diameter and the length of these tubular members 38 corresponding with the diameter and length of the portions 30 of the bifurcated members, to allow the loose mounting of the airplane on this member.

It is preferred that the members 38 should be of a configuration to suggest the structure of bombs, landing wheels or other structure normally associated with airplanes, the description herein being limited to the functional properties of these parts.

With the foregoing description of the mechanical details of this invention in view, the method of operation will be obvious but it may be expedient to note that the upset portions 28 of .the bifurcated member locate the plane in more complete view of the operator of the device, thereby increasing the interest factor in the toy, and possibly assisting in the aiming or directing of the plane. In catapulting the plane, the tubular members 38 will, of course, be placed on the forwardly extending members 30 and the bow tensioned in normal manner, the sudden release of the arrow 20 resulting in the plane being shot into the air at a considerable initial velocity and in any predetermined direction.

One other advantage, not recited in the objects detailed above, resides in the combination of two distinct and highly interesting types of entertainment, namely, archery and airplane soaring, and skill in both of these fields can be developed simultaneously by the employment of this toy.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention, this application is' not limited to this particular embodiment, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy of the class described including in combination, a bow having a string, an arrow having one end operatively secured to .said string and the other end being forked, and an airplane having tubular members extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane, the forked end of the arrow being loosely inserted in said members, whereby the airplane is retained in aligned position with the arrow.

' 2. The combination recited in claim 1 and in which said airplane has said tubular members secured on the underside thereof, said arrow having a shank, a pair of angularly disposed portions in a plane substantially normal to said shank, and parallel portions integral with said angularly disposedportionsand extending in a plane parallel withzsaid shank from the ends of said angularly disposed portions remote from said shank.

3. In a toy of the class described, a catapult device having a forked plunger including a shank, a pair of angularly disposed portions in a plane substantially normal to said shank, and parallel 4 portions integral with said angularly disposed portions and extending in a plane parallel with said shank from the ends of said angularly disposed portions remote from said shank, and an airplane having a plurality of tubular cylinders on the underside thereof and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the airplane dimensionally adapted to be loosely inserted upon said parallel portions of said plunger.

RALPH D. HOCKETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 42,317 Stevens Apr. 12, 1864 169,427 Duvall Nov. 2, 187 5 1,161,642 Enos Nov. 23, 1915 1,541,579 Kikta June 9, 1925 1,565,437 Greife Dec. 15, 1925 2,423,765 Folberth et a1 July 8, 1947 2,426,437 Cole et al Aug. 26,1947

' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 344,008 Germany Nov. 11, 1921 524,773 Germany Apr.-3, 1930 

